Flight
by katiekitten
Summary: She amused him, a little bird beating her wings angrily at the locked door of her cage. Deisaku Oneshot. x3


**Flight. **

_Spread your wings and fly with me._

Screams, distant yet coming closer, tore through the air, all but drowned out by the triumphant roar of the fire as it licked at the edges of the hospital. Smoke billowed through the halls, coating her lungs as the sixteen year-old struggled along the once white hallway, crawling on her hands and knees to avoid the worst of it. Soot covered her pale, pinched features, frozen in a state of fear as she shuffled towards the nearest doorway, wincing as she heard a beam split nearby. Splinters rained down as she covered the back of her head with her hands. _I'm running out of time, _she realised, raising her head, her sweat-soaked pink hair falling over her eyes. She pushed it away impatiently. _I have to save as many people as possible._ Pausing briefly to push a piece of debris away, she started forward again, eyes locked on the closed door just ahead. Ahead of her she could hear the fear filled shouts of those patients unable to move from their beds, screaming for someone, anyone to help them. A tear streaked down her cheek. She felt so… Helpless, listening to their dying cries, unable to do anything while they burned, alone in their pain, with no one who cared… Too far away, just too bloody far away. She'd never reach them in time.

**Shut it Sakura!**Her inner voice snapped, pulling her out of her misery. **Stop moping and start moving. Do you _want_ more to die while you sit here?**

_Of course not!_ Fixing her eyes in front of her, she crawled further forward, finally reaching her destination. Stopping in front of the door, she carefully laid a palm on the wood, ready to draw back if it was hot. Satisfied the fire had not reached that room yet she closed her eyes, focussing on what was inside the room, trying to locate the faint tingle that was someone's chakra signature. Her eyebrows furrowed as her senses swept across the room, not detecting a thing. _Oh come on, someone has to be still alive! _She thought furiously, checking again. Tears traced their way down her dirty cheeks, but she ignored them, focussing her full attention on the door before her. This was not right, not fair-

_fizz _

She froze, senses tingling as she finally located the soft buzz of a chakra signal inside. It was weak, granted, so weak that she was surprised she'd been able to find it, but it was there. Getting to her feet, she fumbled to open the door, so relieved that she failed to notice another tingle, stronger, that sparked up as another entered the room, stopping beside the first one. Cursing the smooth surfaces of her black gloves, she kicked the door open, a hand holding a cloth to her mouth. Smoke had filled the room as the fire tongues of fire licked at the right wall, making visibility low. Crouching, she sped towards where she felt the signal, hopes raising. It's alright, everything was going to be alright, she'd found someon-

_boom _

A small explosion knocked her from her feet, her eyes opened wide as she was thrown to the floor. Emerald eyes scrunched in pain as she lowered a hand to the burn that graced her stomach, shirt scorched, clumsily calling her chakra to her hand. Gasping as the full pain of the burn settled in, she placed her glowing green hand to her wound, eyes flicking to the scene before her. Her eyes widened.

A patient lay huddled against the wall, blood dripping slowly from a gash on his head as he coughed feebly. More important was the figure standing in front of him, a wide grin puncturing his shadowed face. Taking a step forward, he raised a hand, cloak swaying with the movement.

Black cloak. Black with red clouds.

_Akatsuki. _

Trying to hide the fear that pounded through her veins, screaming at her to run, run away as fast as she could, she raised her head to look him in the eyes. A single blue stared amusedly back at her, the other hidden by his long, blond bangs. Her stomach plummeted as she registered that fact; pulse racing as she noticed what was in his hand.

A clay bird.

"Well, well, well, what little birdie has fallen out of her nest, un?" His voice, deep and mocking, rang across the room, drawing her attention back to his face. He grinned wolfishly back at her, smile widening as he noticed her glowing hand. "A healer, I see? Bit too late, I'm afraid, un." He nudged the man at his feet with a sandaled foot, chuckling as the man flinched away from it. "Such a shame little birdie couldn't have stumbled in earlier. She missed the show."

The patient moaned pitifully, his voice barely audible over the crackling of the approaching flames. Sakura's anger flared at the sound, and she slowly pulled herself to her feet, raising her fists defiantly despite the fear that churned sickeningly in her stomach. She was a doctor; her first responsibility was to her patients. She would protect them at all costs.Inner Sakura raged inside of her, her furious cries merging with her own and shoring away her fear. The man chuckle faded and he raised his eyebrows, facing her fully.

"What, birdie still wants to-" She threw herself at him, using his surprise to her advantage, aiming a chakra enhanced punch at his chest and cutting off his sentence. Swearing a little, he jumped away from the blow, careful to keep away from the burning walls. **He's fast.** Murmured inner Sakura, barely able to follow his movement. She agreed, keeping a close eye on him. His smile had returned and he regarded her with amusement.

"So impatient, un!" He ducked under a kick aimed at his head before sliding behind her, his warm breath tickling her ear. She flinched slightly at the proximity. "You won't catch me that way, little bird."

She didn't hesitate, raising her heel and thrusting it behind her to where she hoped his groin would be. He laughed as he stepped out of the way, retreating to the side. His eyes twinkled with amusement as she turned to face him. Fury bubbled up within her at the sight and she growled angrily, lunging at him once more. He easily avoided her chakra laden attacks, grinning all the while.

"So angry, little bird!" He chided, sidestepping lightly as she flew past him, kick hitting the wall instead. She grimaced as the wood splintered from the force, already weakened by the oncoming fire, and extracted her foot carefully. He raised an eyebrow at the sight of the crater she'd left behind, chuckling slightly as she glared at him in response, absolutely fuming. "I'm afraid it does you no justice, un, a smile would be so much more becom-"

She'd lunged at him again, this time feinting to the left before ducking down to sweep at his feet. He jumped back and out of the way, barely avoiding the trio of kunai she'd thrown after him, chuckling once more. Flipping to her feet, she followed him, kicking out as soon as he was in reach. He stepped back to avoid it and stumbled slightly over a piece of burning debris. Time seemed to slow as Sakura watched his eyes widen in surprise. Seizing this momentary opening in his defence, she smiled and darted forward, raising a chakra laden fist and slamming it into his smug grin. As quick as always, he'd attempted to duck away from the blow, but it was only a partial success. The edge of her fist clipped his jaw before he darted out of the way, chipping the bone. Taking a step to gain her balance, she whirled around, searching for the blond. He stood a little ways away, gingerly prodding his injured jaw, before he looked up, a grin once more lighting his features.

"If you want to dance, little bird, I'll gladly join you." He told her, amusement clear in his voice, slipping a hand into a pouch strapped to his belt. She watched him with warily, confused by his reaction. _I know that hurt, so why is he still smiling?_ She started gathering her chakra once more as he withdrew his hand after a second, clenched into a fist. He met her eyes and smiled, before holding out his hand, palm upwards. "The question is: will you be able to keep up?"

She instinctively leapt to the side as a small bird, barely the size of a fledgling, darted towards her from the Akatsuki's palm, beak opened in a soundless cry. She flinched as it exploded besides her, showering her with fragments of clay. _Not good._ She barely had time to turn around before another bird bore down at her, forcing her to roll forward to avoid getting hit. Removing a couple kunai from her weapons pouch, she scrambled to her feet, anger flaring again when she realised that the Akatsuki was laughing at her. _He's… He's playing with me! _She growled, darting to the side. How _dare_ he. She'd give him something to laugh at.

Glancing up, she grimaced when she noticed the fragile state the ceiling was in. It wasn't going to last much longer. Reaching for her wrists, she pretended to readjust her cuffs, instead loosening the straps that held her daggers to her wrist sheaths.

Oh yes. They were going to dance alright.

Feinting to the right, she gathered some of her remaining chakra in her right fist and punched the floor at her feet, grinning as his visible eye slightly widened in surprise. Sending a quick apology to the owner of the hospital, she threw herself towards where the Akatsuki was leaping out of the way, two kunai thumping into the wood behind him. Her grin grew wider as the exploding notes attached to them went off, pushing him forward as she expected and right to where she was waiting, daggers in hand. Driving forward, she aimed for his throat, preparing for the final blow-

"Nice try, little bird." Her eyes widened in surprise as she heard his voice behind her, the kage bunshin in front of her disappearing in a puff of smoke before something hard connected with the back of her head. She fell forward, slipping into unconsciousness.

Smoke billowed out of the burning building, the fire's crackling roar punctuated by cries of 'fire!' from the crowd of people surrounding it, a water chain in full swing. The burning embers sent flecks of ash towards the night sky, blanketing out the stars. A dust coated figure leapt unnoticed from the non-burning side of the hospital, red clouds standing out on the slightly scorched fabric as he cradled something in his arms. Landing at the edge of the forest that surrounded the hospice, he carefully lay down his burden. The woman's hair spread out around her like a pink halo, lips slightly parted as she 'slept' on. The man paused for a second, blue eye twinkling thoughtfully as he gazed down at her, blond hair swaying slightly before his face. Unconscious, her expression was so… innocent, free. It suited her, he decided.

Giving out a small sigh, he got to his feet, wincing a little as a sharp barb of pain erupted on the edge of his jaw, reminding him of his injury. Carefully he raised his fingers to it, chuckling slightly at the memory. The pink haired kunoichi was strong, he'd give her that. So cute when she charged after him, emerald eyes burning with anger, fury dictating her every move… He lowered his hand, remembering. Such a shame he couldn't have played with her longer, he'd been enjoying himself. The thought of the lecture he was going to receive from Sasori for his actions sprung to mind and he scowled slightly, jogged from his thoughts. He could hear his Danna's annoyed voice now, _You were supposed to just terminate the target, Deidara, not bring the entire building down around your ears. You could have compromised our safety with that little stunt, do you want to spend the next month or so dodging hunter Nins?..._ He might as well leave now; to keep that tight-ass waiting any longer would just be asking for trouble. He had enough on his plate without that puppet making his life hell.

Turning towards the woods he paused, glancing back at the sleeping girl. A smile flickered over his lips as he watched her shift in her sleep, a slight frown creasing her forehead.

"Sleep well, little bird." He whispered, before melting into the trees.

**End.**

Just a couple of edits, there was a part at the beginning of the fight that I felt I didn't explain enough, (as to why Sakura attacked him in the first place; implied, but not specified) and a changing a word here and there. Nothing much. :) I _am_ continuing this, although I am currently writing something else, (a Deisaku AU - Oh joy!) and then I'll write up the next chappy.

I hope you enjoyed this, anyways. :)


End file.
